![Google Search page shows AI Overview for "déjà vu," with a phone displaying "Meet AI Mode" prompt. [blog.google]](https://cms.aidailypost.com/uploads/google_search_adds_ai_overviews_followup_questions_says_vp_robby_stein_88596d5dea.webp "Google Search page shows AI Overview for \"déjà vu,\" with a phone displaying \"Meet AI Mode\" prompt. [blog.google]")
Editorial illustration for Google Search adds AI Overviews with follow‑up questions, says VP Robby Stein
Google Search adds AI Overviews with follow‑up...
Google Search used to return a list. Now it offers an answer, and then it waits for your next question.
Vice president Robby Stein is pushing this as a natural evolution. He says you can get a fast summary or engage in a longer chat. A demo from last year shows the flow: you scroll past an AI-generated answer and a box for follow-ups appears.
That conversational layer is now live for everyone in the US. The engine behind it just changed too.
"A quick snapshot when you need it, and deeper conversation when you want it," says Google Search vice president of product Robby Stein. Switching between the two features looks incredibly easy -- just scroll and type -- going by a test video Stein shared last year. Overviews are getting an upgrade too, with Gemini 3 now the default model powering the AI-generated summaries globally, Stein says.
The model, which wowed observers when it launched last year, means Overview answers will be "best-in-class," Stein says. Users have had mixed results with previous models. The upgrades come as part of a broader seismic shift at Google as the company seems to be transitioning away from Search and pushes AI interactions above links.
Google did not immediately respond to The Verge's request for comment on when it plans to do away with Search entirely.
Gemini 3 is the new default model for these AI summaries. It made a strong first impression last year. Stein is promising top-tier results this time. Users remain skeptical, given the uneven performance of past models.
This is a core architectural shift for the company. The product is being reoriented to prioritize conversation over curation, AI answers over the familiar blue links. When asked for a timeline on phasing out traditional Search entirely, Google had no comment.
The silence is telling. The product roadmap is written in the interface you're already using.
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Common Questions Answered
What is the main difference between Google Search's new AI Overviews and traditional search results?
AI Overviews provide direct AI-generated answers instead of just returning a list of blue links, and they include a follow-up question box that enables conversational engagement. This represents a shift from curation-based search to conversation-based search, allowing users to either get quick summaries or engage in longer chat interactions with the search engine.
Which AI model does Google Search now use as the default for AI Overviews?
Gemini 3 is the new default model powering AI Overviews in Google Search. According to VP Robby Stein, Gemini 3 made a strong first impression last year and is expected to deliver top-tier results for the AI-generated summaries.
How does the follow-up questions feature work in Google Search's AI Overviews?
After scrolling past an AI-generated answer, users see a box for follow-up questions that allows them to continue the conversation and refine their search. This conversational layer is now live for all users in the US and enables a more interactive search experience beyond the initial summary.
What architectural shift is Google making with AI Overviews according to VP Robby Stein?
Google is reorienting its search product to prioritize conversation over curation and AI-generated answers over traditional blue links. This represents a core architectural shift for the company, though Google has not provided a timeline for phasing out traditional Search entirely.
Why are users skeptical about Google Search's AI Overviews despite the new Gemini 3 model?
Users remain skeptical due to the uneven performance of past AI models in Google Search. This hesitation reflects concerns about the reliability and accuracy of previous iterations before the introduction of Gemini 3 as the default model.
Further Reading
- Google now lets users jump from AI Overviews into AI Mode conversations — TechCrunch
- Google AI Overviews get Gemini 3 upgrade, AI Mode transition — 9to5Google
- Google AI Overviews Now Powered By Gemini 3 — Search Engine Journal
- Google is blurring the line between search and chatbot — Business Insider
